Discourses on the History of Archaeology

A Short History of the Bulletin of the History of Archaeology

Author:

Douglas R. Givens

Harvard University, US

Abstract

As my tenure as Editor of the Bulletin ofthe History of Archaeology (BHA) draws to a close (31 December 2002),I think it useful to the readership that I provide a very brief history of the BRA covering its inception, early years, and my aspirations for its future.

The BHA was just a passing idea in my mind in 1990 when I organized an Advanced Seminar held at the School of American Search (SAR) in Santa Fe,New Mexico (14-18 July 1990), concerning the then current state of writing the history of archaeology for the Society for American Archaeology's Committee on theHistory.of Archaeology. To a great degree the SAR advanced seminar grew out of a seminal gathering (Visitor Scholar's Conference) that Andrew Christenson had put together in 1987 at Southern Ilinois University at Carbondaie,Dlinois - a gathering of those working in the history of archaeology.